Two Weeks with Love

Two Weeks with Love stars Jane Powell, Ricardo Montalban – a coming of age story, dealing with jealousy … and corsets! Set in the 19th century, dealing with parents who have to realize that their oldest girl is turning into a young woman …

Two Weeks with Love (1950) starring Jane Powell, Ricardo Montalban

Review

Two Weeks with Love is an enjoyable 1950’s musical. There’s a lot of songs — even though some of them seem forced into the story. It is quite predictable. But, virtually all of the characters learn and grow over the course of the movie. Parents and children both. And, despite its predictability, it’s a very enjoyable journey.

Product Description 

Kittenish teens Patti (Jane Powell) and Melba (Debbie Reynolds) turn a 1900s family vacation in the Catskills into Two Weeks with Love, “a bright entertainment that may come as a surprise to those who think there is nothing new under the musical sun” (The Hollywood Reporter). Patti is fluttery over a suave older man (Ricardo Montalban) and thinks romance will bloom if her disapproving parents let her wear…a corset! With that longed-for garment, 18-year-old Patti is sure she’ll look like a more mature woman. Meanwhile, Melba stalks a local boy (Carleton Carpenter) with lovestruck determination.

In a sensational showstopper, Reynolds and Carpenter tear into a version of “Aba Daba Honeymoon,” so frisky and charming it became a smash-hit record. Busby Berkeley staged all the numbers, including “Row, Row, Row” and a dream sequence that has corseted Powell wowing Montalban with, of all things, an aria from The Chocolate Soldier. Aba daba, what a delight!

Cast of characters

• Jane Powell (Royal Wedding) … Patti Robinson. The young lady, who at 17 considers herself to now be a woman. But her mother won’t let her wear a corset until she’s 18! A symbol of womanhood, in the young lady’s mind.
• Ricardo Montalban (Neptune’s Daughter) … Demi Armendez. The handsome young foreigner, whom Patti has a crush on. As does her “friend” Valerie.
• Louis Calhern (High Society) … Horatio Robinson. The loving father of the family. He doesn’t understand the significance of the corset to Patti. But, he buys her one anyway. Accidentally, a medical corset, which leads to a point of conflict and comedy in the big dance number.
• Ann Harding (Star of Midnight) … Katherine Robinson. The loving mother. She doesn’t think Pattie’s ready to be “grown up” with a corset. And, she’s dressing their suns in the daughters’ old nightgowns! Causing a conflict with her husband.
• Phyllis Kirk (House of Wax) … Valerie Stresemann. The kind of “true” friend that nobody wants. She keeps giving Patti bad advice, to sabotage any romance with Demi. So Valerie can have him all to herself. She’s a minor actress, with an inflated option of herself. Which becomes important when she walks out on the production.
• Carleton Carpenter … Billy Finlay. Young man, Patti’s age, who’s a true friend. Even if she chooses Demi over himself as romantic interest.
• Debbie Reynolds (Singin’ in the Rain) … Melba Robinson
• Clinton Sundberg (In the Good Old Summertime) … Mr. Finlay
• Gary Gray … McCormick Robinson
• Tommy Rettig … Ricky Robinson
• Charles Smith (A Girl a Guy and a Gob) … Eddie Gavin

Songs

• Destiny
  • Music by Sydney Baynes
  • Performed by the band in the park during the title sequence and elsewhere in the score
• A Heart That’s Free
  • Music by Alfred G. Robyn
  • Lyrics by Thomas Railey
  • Performed by Jane Powell during the opening scene
• That’s How I Need You
  • Music by Al Piantadosi
  • Lyrics by Joseph McCarthy and Joe Goodwin
  • Performed by Debbie Reynolds, Carleton Carpenter, and three boys while at the player piano
• The Oceana Roll
  • Music by Lucien Denni
  • Lyrics by Roger Lewis
  • Performed by Jane Powell and chorus
• Aba Daba Honeymoon
  • Music by Walter Donovan
  • Lyrics by Arthur Fields
  • Performed by Debbie Reynolds, Carleton Carpenter and chorus
  • Reprised by studio orchestra during end credits
• By the Light of the Silvery Moon
  • Music by Gus Edwards
  • Lyrics by Edward Madden
  • Performed by Louis Calhern, Ann Harding, Ricardo Montalban, Phyllis Kirk, Jane Powell and chorus while boating on the lake
• My Beautiful Lady
  • Music by Ivan Caryll
  • Lyrics by C.M.S. McLellan
  • Performed by chorus during Patti’s dream sequence
• My Hero
  • Music by Oscar Straus
  • Lyrics by Hugh Stanislaus Stange
  • Performed by Jane Powell, Ricardo Montalban and chorus during Patti’s dream sequence
• Row, Row, Row
  • Music by James V. Monaco
  • Lyrics by William Jerome
  • Performed by Debbie Reynolds and Carleton Carpenter at the talent show
• Listen to the Mockingbird
  • Music by Richard Milburn
  • Played when Demi is outside Patti’s dressing room door at the talent show
• A media luz
  • Music by Edgardo Donato
  • Lyrics by Carlos Lenzi
  • Danced by Jane Powell and Ricardo Montalban in the final tango dance sequence